NISMO considering performance off-road dual-cab

Nissan’s motorsport and performance division wants to significantly increase sales in the coming years and one of the easiest ways to do so would be to tap into the burgeoning off-road performance market, typified by the Ford Raptor products. NISMO president and CEO Yutaka Sanada says the company is considering such a product and that a study should be expected.

Nissan’s motorsport and performance arm wants to increase sales from the current 100,000 to 150,000, and its share of export sales from 40 to 60 per cent by 2028 as part of its role in Nissan’s resurgence.

Optimisation of its current global lineup, which includes the Patrol, Z, X-TRAIL, Ariya and Note Aura, will play a part in this, especially in the short-term – sustainable long-term growth will require a wider array of products.

Given Nissan’s long history in off-road motorsport, including the Dakar Rally, Australian Safari, Baja and more, carsales asked Sanada-san whether a Raptor-style vehicle would be appropriate for NISMO.

“[For our] focus market, not only Australia, but also United States, Middle East, no doubt these three markets’ common demand is truck, off-road development,” he said.

“So naturally NISMO is considering some offer as a business to this obvious big customer.

“So know that we are considering something, but when? How? As a formal product offer, please wait [for] formal announcement, but sure you can expect some study.”

While nothing is currently confirmed, Sanada-san's response suggests a NISMO dual-cab will appear at lease as a concept in the near future, with a production vehicle presumably to follow if the response is favourable.

Just what form this vehicle will take is the question. NISMO already offers a hot Y63 Patrol, but its on-road performance focus is deemed unsuitable for Australia.

The new Navara will have a Premcar-developed Warrior version, but the diesel engine would give any performance variant tenuous credibility, which is why the similar Mitsubishi Triton Raider doesn’t wear Ralliart badges.

The obvious opportunity is with the Frontier Pro PHEV dual-cab and its recently revealed SUV twin, the Terrano.

These offer 300kW/800Nm from their heavily electrified drivetrains while also helping Nissan’s case with the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).

While neither has officially been confirmed for the Australian market, Nissan Australia’s new managing director Steve Millette said he thought “it’s a huge opportunity”.

“I certainly see the need for something that has that [off-road] capability, and plug-in hybrid seems to be what’s going to work best in the short term or mid-term,” he said.

Millette’s predecessor, Andrew Humberstone, previously told carsales Nissan Australia was “hoping to have [the Frontier Pro PHEV] sooner than originally planned”.

*Lead image generated by AI

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